Only one bid submitted for ISL’s next four-season media-rights cycle
The Indian Super League clubs and the All India Football Federation received only one bid in the process for the league’s next four-season media-rights cycle after the RFP for the 2026-27 media rights, floated on July 25, closed with a deadline of August 12.
The RFP issued on July 25 offered two packages: Package A included media rights plus live production, while Package B covered media rights without production responsibilities. The deadline to submit bids was initially set for August 8 but the window was extended; the commercial bid stage will follow a technical evaluation, though no final date for the commercial opening has been provided. The successful bidder will secure the media rights for the upcoming four-season cycle, subject to the completion of the evaluation process.
Companies wishing to participate were required to purchase the RFP document for a non-refundable fee of ₹2 lakh, excluding applicable taxes, and purchasing the document did not guarantee that a bid would be considered. Rights to participate could not be transferred to an affiliate or another organisation, and bidders had to submit payment confirmation along with company details including registered address, PAN and GSTIN where applicable.
The clubs and the AIFF will assess the single technical submission before progressing to the commercial stage. The technical bid is scheduled to be opened on August 14, 2026.
The media-rights process is unfolding amid a structural change to the ISL’s governance, with the end of Football Sports Development Limited’s Master Rights Agreement with the AIFF and the onset of a club-led model that places greater responsibility for commercial and operational matters on the clubs. Clubs are collectively working on sponsorships, licensing, media rights and other revenue streams under this new arrangement.
Under the club-led commercial structure the league has already secured new agreements: a four-year licensing deal with EA Sports to retain presence in the EA Sports FC franchise, and a fresh four-year contract with Sportradar worth US$6 million (approximately ₹57 crore). Under the Sportradar arrangement the company will remain the ISL’s Data and Integrity Partner until 2030, with the agreement valued at around US$1.5 million per season.
Separately, Jamshedpur FC confirmed its withdrawal from the competition after nine seasons after failing to complete the required payment and approval process before an extended July 31 deadline. The club had initially sought additional time to pay the first ₹55 lakh instalment of the participation fee and said its internal approval process required additional time because of the structure of its parent organisation; it eventually decided against continuing in the ISL under the club-led model. Jamshedpur FC were later given an extended deadline of August 12 as well, and their future will be decided in due course; their departure means the competition will move forward without one of its founding members from the 2017 season.
The lone technical bid will be opened on August 14 and, once evaluated by the AIFF and ISL clubs, the commercial stage will follow; the outcome could play a major role in determining the ISL’s financial position as it enters its first full season under the club-led structure.